The Capitol Steps
"They're the best. There's no one like them, no one in their league."
-- Larry King, CNN
"The Capitol Steps make it easier to leave public life."
-- Former President George H. W. Bush
OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO,
the Capitol Steps began
as a group of Senate staffers who set out to
satirize the very people and places that employed them. In the years that
followed, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom ("Don't quit
your day job!"), and although not all of the current members of the Steps
are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have
worked in a total of eighteen Congressional offices and represent 62 years
of collective House and Senate staff experience.
Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded
29 albums,
including
their latest,
Obama Mia!
They've been featured on
NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard 4 times a year on National Public
Radio stations nationwide during their
Politics Takes a Holiday
radio specials.
The Capitol Steps were born in December, 1981 when some staffers for
Senator Charles Percy were planning entertainment for a Christmas party.
Ronald Reagan was President when the Steps began, so co-founders Elaina
Newport, Bill Strauss and Jim Aidala figured that if entertainers could
become politicians, then politicians could become entertainers!
Their first idea was to stage a nativity play, but in the whole Congress they
couldn't find three wise men or a virgin! So, they decided to dig into the
headlines of the day, and created song parodies & skits which conveyed a
special brand of satirical humor that was as popular in Peoria as it was on
Pennsylvania Avenue.
Most cast members have worked on Capitol Hill; some for Democrats,
some for Republicans, and others for politicians who firmly straddle the
fence. No matter who holds office, there's never a shortage of material.
Says Elaina Newport, "Typically the Republicans goof up, and the
Democrats party. Then the Democrats goof up and the Republicans party.
That's what we call the two-party system."
ALTHOUGH
the Capitol Steps are based in Washington, DC, most of their
shows are out-of-town or for out-of-town audiences, whether it's the
National Welding Supply Association, a University audience, High Schoolers,
or State Legislators. In fact, the Capitol Steps have performed for the
last 5 Presidents (6, if you include Hillary). The only complaints the Steps
seem to get are from politicians and personalities who are not included in
the program!
The material is updated constantly.
Current examples include the media's love affair with the Nation's 44th President Barack Obama ("Obamamia") and Illinois Governor Blagojevich's attempted sale of the Senate seat ("Come Buy With Me"). The Capitol Steps tackle international issues as well. We are the only show to feature North Korean leader Kim Jong Il singing show tunes ("How Do You Solve a Problem Like Korea?") and Vladimir Putin showing his 'soul' in "Midnight Raid to Georgia." No matter who's in the headlines, the Capitol Steps are equal opportunity offenders promising an evening full of bipartisan lampooning.
For interviews, press kits, videos, a free psychic reading, or further
information, please give us a call!
- Press clippings
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Critics review the Steps public performances.
- Cast Biographies
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All about each member of our cast:
See our About the Capitol Steps
page for all the details.
- Praise for the Capitol Steps
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Comments from actual clients and distinguished audience members.
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Award and Acclaim:
- Publicity Photos
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Members of the Capitol Steps try to remain anonymous, not always with success.
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- Interviews in the Media
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The Capitol Steps reveal their secrets.
How did the group get its name?
What did Ronald Reagan have to say after
a White House performance? Which
President Bush has done more for comedy?
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- Video Preview
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See the Capitol Steps on stage and behind the scenes.
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- Production Specifications
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Here's what it takes to stage a performance:
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